


Blood Ties of the Wolf

by Shikaree



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battle of Mirkwood, Blood Magic, F/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Original Character(s), POV Legolas Greenleaf, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-07-24 11:38:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7506820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shikaree/pseuds/Shikaree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new threat emerges in Middle Earth, and Legolas encounters a woman whose fate becomes entwined with his own in releasing Mirkwood from Dol Guldur's dark hold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first foray into writing, and as a lover of fantasy (and especially LotR) I decided to give this fanfic a shot before trying works of my own devising. I will attempt to update regularly (if anyone cares enough to read/follow/ or w/e !) - hopefully once a week until it is done. Forgive any deviations to characters and timelines- this is only meant to be based loosely on Middle Earth events. Elvish words/phrases will be minimal (even though it is currently written as POV Legolas). That's about it... I hope it's not too terrible ! :)

Legolas dismounted Arod and assessed the scene in front of him with methodical, detached calmness. The farmer and his son had been disarmed and forced to their knees before execution, their headless corpses slumped side by side on the dirt now tainted black with congealed blood. Deep, jagged wounds were evident on both bodies, characteristic of roughly forged orcish blades. It had been a fast, savage assault. From examining the tangle of tracks he could deduce that the men were swiftly surrounded, and outnumbered by at least seven or eight to one. A small pack by orc standards, possibly a scouting party. Legolas nimbly skirted around the concentrated gore and continued on, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the nauseating sweet stench emanating from the goat pen and cattle enclosure as he passed by. He did not need to inspect those closer to know what he would find.

The wooden door of the farmhouse had been bashed free from its hinges and lay splintered inside the entrance, revealing the chaotic disarray of broken furniture within. His eyes pierced through the gloom and lighted upon three smaller remains huddled protectively together: the farmer’s wife and two young daughters. As cruel as their untimely fate had been, it was better to be dead than taken. Outside the entrance of the cobblestone building the trail veered northwards in the direction of the Isen River and Enedwaith beyond. Orcs rarely ventured through the lands protected by Gondor and Rohan- their presence this far west was unsettling. Travelling in a modest numbered group to avoid detection suggested organisation, but for who and why?

Legolas contemplated his options. The orcs only had around a day’s head start, he could catch up to them and try to find out their intentions. Torture was an effective means of loosening black tongues, and for what befell these innocents it was as good a recompense as any before he cut the foul creatures down. However, there could be other groups with a similar purpose and the warning of such a threat should be brought forward to Aragorn and Éomer with haste. Torn, he made his decision. Better to act and see what intelligence could be gleaned before the chance eluded him entirely. Turning to retrieve Arod, who had wandered away to graze on an unsullied patch of grass, Legolas felt his shoulder muscles tense and his fingertips twitch instinctively to feel the comforting weight of his daggers. A noise caught his attention, one easily missed by those not gifted by acute elven senses like his own.

Legolas narrowed the focus of his hearing towards the shaded copse at the edge of the farmland, listening past the trilling birdsong and whisper of leaves fluttering in the breeze. There it was, so faint it was almost imperceptible yet a regular enough pattern to betray itself over the sounds of nature around him. Someone was hiding up amidst the dense canopy of the trees ahead. Although certainly not an orc, Legolas was not going to take any chances that whoever was posed him no threat. Pulling free the long mithril daggers from their sheathes at his waist in a well-practiced, fluid motion he approached slowly and cautiously.

He could define the higher pitch of the intentionally muted breathing as he drew nearer to the source: a female. From the increase in rapidity it was clear that she was aware of his armed presence. Legolas scanned the shroud of dark vegetation above and located her lying prone across the sturdier branches a few feet to his left.

“ _Man le_?” he called, “Who are you?”

“Are you safe?”

Legolas gave a small smile at the peculiar phrasing and deftly slid his blades away as quickly as he had retrieved them.

“I am not here to harm you” he assured, holding his empty palms open wide. “My name is Legolas, my Lady.”

Satisfied by his introduction and gesture of peace, she clicked her tongue softly and then nodded at him.

“Very well, Legolas. I am Kaida, and it would please me if you didn’t give me reason to regret placing my trust in you.”

Legolas watched as the woman shifted her position to sit upright, black leather mid-calf boots dangling over the earth, before she dropped awkwardly to the ground in a landing crouch.

“How long have you been up there?”

“Since yesterday.”

“How is that even possible?” Legolas asked with genuine curiosity.

“Self-induced torpor, meditation… I fell asleep for a while. It actually wasn’t as unbearable as I thought it would be.”

Straightening with a wince, Kaida stood flexing the feeling back into her fingers and studying him with bright amber eyes as luminous gold as autumn trees beneath the noonday sun; they reminded him of Lothlórien.

A blue-grey metal choker adorned her neck, rubbing against the skin and leaving it angry and raw where the edges of the solid band dug into the flesh. Legolas wondered why she would willingly wear something that obviously caused great discomfort. Her trousers and shirt were specifically tailored to fit her feminine form, and although the style was unlike anything Legolas had so far encountered, it was not her clothing that caused his eyebrow to raise of its own accord. Waves of ashen hair cascaded past her shoulders, a hue so pale that it was silver- a colour of rarity found only in those of Sindar descent. From the inquisitive look on her face the similarity between their unusual, lambent tones had not escaped Kaida’s notice either.

“Are they real?” She motioned to the delicate points of his ears and her cheeks flushed pink, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but ask. Forgive me.”

“Of course they are, how do you think I knew of your concealment? Elven hearing and sight is unrivalled in sensitivity and accuracy.”

“So you really are an elf.”

“Have you not come across any of my people before?”

“Many wonders are lost where I am from, including elves” she answered sadly.  

“And from where do you hail?”

“In relation to here... well, I have no idea.”

“Were you travelling for a long time then, from your home?”

“In a sense. These lands are home, but I am a stranger to them.”

Legolas sighed in frustration, this woman spoke more riddles than Mithrandir. He decided to give up his current line of questioning- it was only serving to give him a headache and ultimately was not essential to his interest in what had happened.

“Can you tell me of the attack?"   

“I was worried at first, approaching them alone” she said. “But I soon realised that they were kind and gentle-natured men. Hyatt and his son, Robby, told me a little about the area, the riders that sometimes passed through and lodged with them overnight. I asked them where I could find the nearest main settlement, not expecting to be informed that it was a few weeks away, through some passes in the mountains...”

“Through the Hithaeglir, the Misty Mountains, yes” Legolas confirmed.

“Well, I must have appeared pretty horrified by that news- I mean, I was- towns and cities are normally within easy reach. Weeks away from civilisation is inconceivable to me... They certainly both had a good laugh at my expense.”

Legolas could not think of anywhere in Arda where trading posts, villages or encampments were that close together.

“And the attack?” he prompted.

 She was took a steadying breath and bowed her head.

“Robby spotted something out on the horizon; It just looked like a herd to me, maybe more cattle or horses, or- I don’t know. He nudged Hyatt, and when he saw whatever was heading for the farm they both started shouting something about these orcs. Robby urged me to run and the panic in both their voices convinced me to heed them.”

“Do you know which direction the orcs came from?”

“South I think, Robby was facing down there towards the lower pastures” she pointed. “Hyatt said that they would deal with them- not to come out until they said it was safe. I saw the trees and, well, climbing seemed a good idea at the time. Part of me wanted to see what was going on.” She shuddered and looked up at him beseechingly. “Please don’t think ill of me. I heard their screams, and I couldn’t help them... I didn’t know the extent of the danger they faced until it was too late.”

“I doubt there is anything you could have done.”

“I could have changed the outcome.”

Kaida grasped the metal choker with both hands and a sneer of venomous distaste curled her lip at the feel of it beneath her fingers. Legolas was unsure what to make of the inflection of her conviction behind ‘could’.

“I can’t be certain” she frowned, aurum eyes snapping up abruptly to meet his, “but I think that I’m responsible for their deaths.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because it is likely that these orcs were sent after me.”


	2. Chapter 2

The rolling hillsides soon merged with the groves and clumps of thicket spreading across the changing landscape. Legolas estimated that they would reach the banks of the river within a few hours, but he was troubled by this more than relieved. Kaida had not given any more of an explanation about why she thought the orcs were searching for her, but their reckless urgency forced him to consider whether it was actually a possibility. Leaving such a blatant trail and abandoning any attempts for subterfuge that had allowed them up until now to escape notice made no sense: they were seeking something, or someone. Legolas remained resolute in his plan, confident that he could protect Kaida from harm if needed and determined that the orcs would give him the answers he sought.

Arod carried them both with unfaltering speed and Legolas allowed Kaida to rest for a while, holding her gently but firm against his chest so that she would not slip. Although their travel arrangement was not ideal, he could not say that he found it uncomfortable. She smelt of the woodlands, sweet honeysuckle mixed with a faint trace of warm, musky cedar. He let his thoughts wander to Greenwood before the decay, the scents and sounds of home, his father. Although he kept himself busy, the few that he counted as his friends had returned to their own families and responsibilities leaving him roaming once more- alone. Legolas used to pride himself in being self sufficient, content with offering his aid with no real ties to keep him in one place. He had told his father some years ago that he could not see it in himself to go back, but now he was not so sure.

The orcs’ guttural grunts and snarls made Legolas clench his jaw in disdain at the discordant racket. He longed for the day when these vermin no longer plagued Middle Earth and was set to do his part today in ridding the world of at least a few more of them.

“You will stay on Arod” Legolas whispered, handing her the reins, “I will not allow them to reach you, but if anything goes wrong I will signal for him to run to safety. You will not let go, you will not tell him to stop and you will not return for me. Do you understand?”

Kaida nodded her acceptance, leaning forwards to lay low on Arod’s back and out of sight as much as possible. Legolas left them where the cover was heaviest behind the treeline and made his way silently towards his quarry. He counted three sentry guards, five runners resting and eight others tearing noisily into a large deer carcass. Stealth would be possible for maybe half their number, he thought, the rest would feel the cold bite of his mithril more intimately.

Nocking an arrow Legolas took aim at the first sentry, releasing in-between breaths as he stepped from his position to a new hiding place amongst the shadows. The remaining two sentries dropped one after the other in equally quick succession as he flanked from their right. So far to plan- no alarms raised and each headshot meeting its mark with precision. That left twelve, and one he needed alive. Legolas steeled himself as he let his arrows fly towards the camp, concentrating on the orcs preoccupied with ripping away chunks of meat with their disgusting yellowed fangs. Two fell before the feasters were alerted to his attack, and three more as they launched themselves out to counterstrike. Roars of tocsin broke the calm and Legolas took off into a sprint to ensure they could not reach him until he was ready, weaving through the thinning boles of ash, birch and willow on the steep embankment overlooking the river. He re-clipped his bow onto the custom holster on his back and drew his blades.

**** 

“Tell me what I want to know orc filth, and I may give you a merciful death: what were you doing here and who sent you?”

“I will tell you nothing elf.”

Legolas slashed the tip of his dagger down the orc’s side and smirked at the pained howl as he opened it up from the top of the ribcage to its hipbone.

“Would you like a matching pair?” he taunted.

“The master told us to find a woman, one of his kin. She is bound to him, to serve...” the orc hissed.

Kaida, he thought numbly, so she is involved in this somehow. Legolas ran the blade back up the open wound, slicing deeper through the exposed muscle and tissue, enjoying the agonised writhing and animalistic yowls. The grass beneath them grew slick, and the sharp, metallic smell was beginning to make him nauseous.

“Your murders did not go unnoticed orc, did you think you would not pay? Did you think that your ‘master’ would save you? Who is he?”

“We are bound to him too- he will know of your interference elf.”

The orc choked, its eyes rolling and chest heaving; Legolas knew that it would not survive much longer and the orc had realised it too. It began to cackle with a manic, dying euphoria.

“Are there more of you?”

“You will be cut down, burnt, destroyed...there is nothing you can do!”

Its laughter became racking, gurgling coughs and Legolas pressed the blade to the orc’s stomach as warning to give him an answer.

“Are there more of you?” he demanded.

“Dol Guldur. You will see, you will fear...” it rasped, grinning triumphantly.

 Legolas was relieved to see Kaida and Arod waiting exactly where he had left them.

“We need to talk, but first I have to clean up.”

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Her wide eyes flitted over him searching for any signs of damage.

“None of it is mine.”

Kaida smiled with relief and nudged Arod on to follow him towards the river. Legolas did not want to linger, but evening was already painting the riparian scenery with muted shades of grey. They would set out at first light for the gap of Rohan to Edoras; he needed to consult with Éomer and Aragorn. It would be foolish to accept that this scouting group was the only one. As for the other worrying intel procured... He pinched the bridge of his nose- there was a lot to ponder and he could not be certain of the candidness of the source. Legolas found a gentle slope leading to a crossing point at the waterside that was not sodden underfoot and deemed it a good place to wait until dawn. It also provided a broad enough view for him to keep an effective watch in case of reinforcements. Kaida seemed to be of the same mind as she dismounted and let Arod free to roam. Settling on a lush patch of grass she turned her back, absently plucking at the tall blades in front of her. Legolas understood her unspoken invitation to bathe in privacy and took it gratefully.

Legolas felt better once he was washed and dressed in a spare tunic and trousers. He had soaked his grimy clothes as best as he could, and they now lay tightly rung out by the modest fire. They needed a proper scrubbing, but that would have to wait until Edoras. Legolas relaxed next to rippling warmth and set about his next essential task: cleaning and oiling his blades.

“Are you always this quiet?” Legolas enquired, looking up from his work. Kaida had not spoken to him since their short conversation prior to taking his dip.

“I’ve had a lifetime or few to practice keeping myself to myself. If it would make you feel better I could tell you about the cloud I saw earlier shaped like a rabbit, and another that-“

“That will not be necessary” he objected lightly.

“When you went to take down those orcs that killed Hyatt, Robby and the rest... Well, you’ve been pretty sombre since coming back, and observing me with far more suspicion than before. The logical conclusion would be that you found something out that upset you, and something to confirm my earlier assumption.”

“That they were after you.”

“Yes, and if they were after me then I guess it’s only natural that you have other questions too.”

“Very perceptive.”

“I’m not sure if that is sarcasm or an observation” Kaida said drily.

“Are you dangerous?”

Legolas blanched at his cold bluntness, but he could not and would not take it back now. There was no hint of hostility in the emotions playing across her face, just a struggle between hurt and disappointment.

“Not to you, and not like this” came her solemn reply.

Both of them fell into an uncomfortable silence. Legolas watched the shimmering surface of the rushing water, trying to come up with the right words to broach the subject of Dol Guldur. It was unfair to allow the orc’s dying words to twist his opinion to one of prejudice without proof or cause, and for that he felt guilty and ashamed. It did not, however, alter the fact that the answers he had gained only led to more questions. Questions that led back to the unusual woman now sitting opposite him.

“Are you safe?” – _‘Can I trust you?’_

Her dulcet voice interrupted his thoughts. Kaida sounded wary yet hopeful, and Legolas ascertained the real meaning to what she asked.

“I am safe” he answered without hesitation.

“Then I will try to give you what you seek” Kaida promised.

Arod shattered the palpable tension with a loud whicker, making Legolas leap up from the ground and gracefully to his feet. He stood with his newly cleaned blades gripped, ready to fight. A radiant white figure strode nonchalantly down the slope beside them, and Legolas stared in disbelief at the Ithryn puffing rings into the air from his pipe.

“I do hope there is a space around your fire young Legolas Greenleaf” the visitor said in a familiar deep, booming voice.


	3. Chapter 3

Legolas bowed his head respectfully.

“ _Mae govannen Mithrandir_.”

“Well met indeed Legolas, although I do wish it was under different circumstances of course.”

“I should have expected you” Legolas said with mirth, gesturing for Gandalf to join them at the fireside.

“Ha! A wizard will always be where he is needed, it is true.”

 Kaida’s face lit up with excitement.

 “You’re a wizard- a warlock?”

The atmosphere filled with curling tendrils of vanilla scented tobacco smoke and Gandalf scrutinised Kaida through the haze without giving a reply. Her fingertips brushed over the blue-grey metal around her throat and she glanced at Legolas for reassurance that she had not overstepped a boundary in addressing him directly. Gandalf was often aloof, but there was a hint of sympathy and knowing in his sagacious eyes. Legolas shot her a quick smile and she clicked her tongue softly in resolve.

“I need to break the spell on this- it prevents me from using my magic. It was only supposed to be a temporary measure, to avoid exposure, but my brother refused to remove it when I disagreed with his plans” she revealed nervously. “If you are a warlock, you may be able to do it.”

“I believe I can be of assistance” Gandalf said after a long, considered moment, and took another draw on his pipe. Kaida curtsied stiffly in a show of gratitude, her face blooming with heated embarrassment at her lack of finesse. Gandalf chortled and gave Legolas a friendly clap on the shoulder. “Her heart is virtuous my friend, unlike the other of her kind. There is much to discuss and her help will be invaluable for the struggle ahead .”

The first strokes of navy swept across the ebony canvas above and Legolas stood sentinel on the crest of the ridge away from camp, seizing the opportunity for quiet contemplation. He was deeply disturbed by much of what Kaida had divulged to them. Her race, the Simierien, were gifted with a talent for magic of varying effectiveness and function: healing, shapeshifting, communication and affinity with animals and spirits. They innately harnessed the raw energy found within blood, life-force, to shape their magic and strengthen it. Although their laws forbid drawing from any source outside of their own, it was possible. The ‘master’ raising an army of orcs in Dol Guldur, Kaida confirmed, was doing just that.

“What makes you so sure?” Legolas had questioned.

“Because...he is my brother, my twin, and a vile loathing consumed him long before he found the gateway here. It is why he sent those orcs for me- he would have sensed my arrival, just as I felt his departure. He knows I came to try and stop him, I told him I would.”

“How is it they are linked to your brother?” Gandalf had wondered.

“Simierien have the potential to take away a person’s free will by calling upon the power in their blood and twisting it to their own command. That person would be bound as we are to each other as kin: incapable of causing harm upon the one controlling them and helpless to act except as directed.”

“So, he is enslaving a mindless army. Why?”

Kaida explained to them of her world, Elirdan, where man was corrupted by a deviant desire for supremacy. They had no tolerance for other races, cultures or magic, and sent vast armies to lay waste to many kingdoms, including those of elves and dwarves. Great cities spread across Elirdan, established over the ruins of those deemed as enemies to man and wiping away all trace that they had not always been alone in the world. Millennia of covert existence followed, and the Simierien lost most of their own history because of it. One legend endured- a concealed gateway that could take them to a place where magic still existed and they might one day thrive.

The Simierien traced their heritage back to the union between a divine being, a seraphim not unlike the Valar, and a man called Muro. The seraphim was known to her children as Sereg, and Gandalf’s bewilderment had mirrored Legolas’ own at her given name- Sereg meant ‘blood’ in the tongue of the Sindar. She was a seer, and it was one vision of the possible future that prompted the construction of what came known as Barangol’s Gate. It took all of Sereg’s energy to finish it, and stripped of her power she was made mortal. When Muro died, she followed not long after.

“But the gate to Arda existed” Gandalf had mused aloud. “Fascinating.”

“Yes. Our ancestors called it Barangol, but as it brought us here I guess they must be the same.”

Another similitude, Legolas had realised: _bâr_ meant home and _angol_ was a word for magic. The Simierien did seem to share a link to the Sindar elves through their progenitor Sereg, although prevalent magic would also suggest close ties to the Maiar – they truly were an enigma.

Kaida finally talked to them of Mareck’s intentions. He wanted to elevate the Simierien to a position of dominance here in their perceived proper homeland of Arda, of Middle Earth. But as one of the last of their people and without an army to do so, he had resorted to reprehensible means: slavery through blood binds and magic. With the orcs united once again, Mareck was just as much a threat to elves, dwarves and men as Sauron was before him. Legolas did not want to see what happened in Elirdan come to victorious fruition here as well- no one race should reign with absolution through hatred, oppression and persecution.

“I have tried everything, I am sorry” Gandalf was apologising as Legolas walked back to camp.

“There has to be something else you can do- you’re a wizard!”

Breaking the enchantment had patently not worked.

“It is sealed with a blood pact, that is not my area of expertise. It would seem that only the one who put the seal in place can remove it.”

Kaida was sitting with her head in her hands, shielded by long curtains of wavy silver hair. Gandalf re-filled his pipe with busy fervour, thick eyebrows knitted in a perturbed frown. Legolas looked from one to the other in exasperation and Arod snorted from his drinking spot in agreement.

“What-“

“I do not know Legolas” Gandalf snapped.

Legolas was reminded of their journey to Moria when Gandalf had initially been stumped in finding the password to open the Doors of Durin, until one of the hobbits had stumbled over it by accident. The Ithryn was too stubborn to be beaten, he detested an unsolved puzzle; Legolas was sure Gandalf would find a way.

 _“Mellon”_ he said and smiled at seeing a flit of recognition across Gandalf’s face. He stirred up the fire and decided against adding any more fuel, they would be leaving before it burnt out anyway. Twilight was upon them and the first light of dawn not far behind.

“Very amusing young Greenleaf. If you have a spell to break such a pact hidden in your hunting tunic please let me know.”

“Wait...” came a mumble. Legolas turned to see Kaida sit bolt upright, golden eyes blazing in the newly stoked firelight. She looked at him with excitement.

“Sneaky son of... Give me a blade Legolas, please.”

Legolas did as he was bid, although with some trepidation. He gasped as he watched her run the razor edge across the palm of her hand, the thin line instantly turning crimson. She smeared the blood against the metal and uttered something under her breath that sounded to his ears like _adleitha –_ ‘release’. There was a blinding flash and a sharp crack like lightning preceding a ecstatic whoop of joy.

“Of course...” Gandalf groaned, “You are Mareck’s twin, your blood flows with the same energy- the same magic signature.”

Legolas blinked away the white spots dancing across his vision and dazedly watched her fling the choker into the dark depths of the Isen River.

“Now I’m free, and now I, we, can help” she declared with confidence.

“As kin you said that you were unable to harm each other directly...” Legolas began.

“That’s correct. However, even though our blood flows with the same magical signature as Gandalf put it, our powers do differ. Mareck is a pure shapeshifter, he can assume any form. I’m also a shapeshifter, but with one major difference that holds an edge over him.”

Talk of magic, blood, blood magic, and shapeshifting was starting to make his temples throb; mystical subjects like this were well beyond his comprehension. Legolas pushed aside his discomfort and hoped that he would not regret encouraging her to clarify; it had been a long, confusing night.

“How is your... shifting...not usual?” he asked, feeling a pang of irony at making such a strange statement.

“Shapeshifters change their body to that of an animal, but they are still themselves throughout. I...well, I joined with a spirit who lends me his form, so when I shift I am no longer myself but him. He allows me to take over his body and mind, just as I share mine with him. It is hard to explain.”

“You have a spirit sharing your body that you can inhabit as a separate form?” Gandalf asked dubiously. “I have not come across such magic, but then blood magic itself is not natural or known in Arda- even to me.”

“Basically, yes. It is referred to as a type of spirit possession and is a rare and complex relationship” Kaida said and then laughed. “I know I sound crazy, but how I came to this power and why is not important. What is paramount to stopping my brother is this: I can hurt Mareck in my shifted form because it is not me; it is not my blood or my spirit, it is the wolf’s.”

“A loophole” Legolas surmised, and was rewarded with a wide, toothy grin.

“Do you want to meet him?” she asked.


	4. Chapter 4

Legolas had not been sure what to expect, but intimidation and a profound, primal terror had not factored into his reaction at seeing Hafir for the first time. The wolf was larger than Kaida, reaching up to Legolas’ shoulder whilst standing of all fours and would easily tower over him if it stood on its hind legs. There was an aura emanating from the beast that was tenebrous and menacing. Its fur was peppered grey and white and the large almond-shaped eyes that narrowed at both of them were Kaida’s amber ones, burning with feral hunger.

 _“Ai!”_ he cried and Gandalf touched Legolas’ arm in reassurance.

“We are not at risk, Kaida is still there and aware.”

The wolf lowered onto its haunches and cocked his head at Legolas. Pulling back its black lips in a snarl to bare lengthy, glistening canines at him, the wolf looked smugly satisfied at Legolas’ stiff apprehension. Hafir gave a throaty bark, tongue lolling.

“I think young Legolas, that he is laughing at you” Gandalf said.

“I think perhaps you are right” said Legolas and forced himself to relax. “May I?” he asked, extending his hand and bravely holding Hafir’s fierce gaze.

The wolf’s jaw snapped shut and Hafir twitched his head in acquiescence at Legolas’ request. His bow-calloused fingers sunk through the layers of fur and he marvelled at the silky softness.

“I did not think it would feel...”

“So real?” Gandalf finished for him.

 _“Mae gûr”_ Legolas whispered and Hafir huffed in what sounded like disapproval.

“I think ‘soft death’ is not a name he thinks suits him.”

“It is true though” Legolas replied. “How did he understand?”

“He is a spirit” was Gandalf’s cryptic reply.

The wolf stood and arched its back, muzzle nearly touching the ground as it stretched, before looking at Gandalf.

“It will leave for now” he informed him.

Gandalf held his fist against his heart in salute, and Legolas did the same. The wolf instantly faded and Kaida took its place, solid and real. Legolas had trouble making the association between the two forms in his head, and the dull throb at his temples returned.

“Hafir likes you.”

“Well that is a relief” Legolas muttered.

“He was impressed that you got control of your fear so quickly.”

“How- ”

“He can smell it.” Kaida looked up at him apologetically. “He does it on purpose.”

“Of course.”

Legolas’ shoulders slumped. He was a warrior, he had stood fast in the face of many dangers over the millennia, but one wolf had elicited a response of panic in him... Admittedly, a very large, magical wolf. He sighed in defeat and was gladdened that Hafir was on their side, and for Gandalf’s settling presence. The orcs would surely have a strong, emotive reaction to the wolf also, and that would work in their favour during battle if it came to it.

Legolas busied himself by dousing the faltering flames and covering the embers with dirt. He gathered his clothes, still damp and nowhere near as clean as he had thought, with distaste and packed them away in a bag away from the rest of his gear. He bitterly considered just burning them, unconvinced that they could be salvaged. Kaida offered to refill the water skins and all three shared in the last of his dried meat, with the promise of a hearty meal in the not too distant future helping to sustain them against meagre pickings.

“Time to go” Gandalf said, looking across to the light blue washing over the horizon.

He gave a short whistle and Legolas heard hoof beats approaching. Arod, who had kept a cautious distance since their meeting with Hafir, whinnied with happiness and trotted over to bump into his side; he was eager for the chance to run with Shadowfax again. Legolas scratched him behind the ears and checked the tightness of his straps while they waited. Kaida would go with Gandalf for their ride to Edoras. They did not plan to make any stops, and Arod would only be able to keep pace with the Lord of Horses while bearing the weight and rider he was well accustomed to.

They crossed the Isen River without incident and turned east for the Gap of Rohan. At full gallop they could reach Edoras within a few hours, but Arod would need periods of a slower canter to regain his bursts of stamina. Still, they should arrive by midday and being back with men and soldiers he knew would make a nice change to his recent solitary wandering. Legolas could feel Arod’s muscles quivering in anticipation and he gave him release to run.

_“Noro!”_

Shadowfax caught up with a few effortless steps, and together the horses bore their passengers on to catch the new sun. Legolas glanced at Kaida, who was seated pillion behind Gandalf and holding on around his waist, and an unfamiliar sensation fluttered in his chest at the sight of her hair whipping like an argent pennant and her cheeks glowing with pure exhilaration. She caught his eye and he watched her mouth ‘freedom’ to him over the deafening noise. Legolas beamed at Kaida in rapport, revelling in a happiness that he had not felt for a long while.


	5. Chapter 5

Boyden, a captain that Legolas had spent time with out on patrol in the East Emnet region, rode out to meet them at the foot of the hill leading up through the main city. The Rohirrim was true-spoken, fair, and highly respected by his regiment- a natural leader. Legolas had befriended Boyden during his previous stay in Edoras, and he was pleased to have him as their escort to the king’s hall.

“Prince Legolas, it is good to see you again. Greetings Gandalf, and of course to the lady accompanying you also” Boyden said, removing his horse head crested helmet with a flourish.

“Good day” Gandalf acknowledged politely, pulling his pipe from somewhere within the folds of his white robes and rooting around for, Legolas suspected, his tobacco pouch.

Kaida remained silent, taking in the sight of horses and soldiers bustling with activity around them. This was not Elirdan, but Legolas could guess that she was on edge at being near a large contingency of men in a relatively confined area.

“Captain Boyden, I assume the king been notified of our arrival?” Legolas asked out of courtesy.

He leaned across Arod’s neck and they gripped each other’s right forearms in customary greeting.

“You may only be a few riders amidst many, but we would be poor hosts indeed if we did not recognise such prestigious guests. Please, come” Boyden invited them to walk alongside him.

The mounts fell into a natural, uniform footing along the winding trackway. Their steps clipped and rang on the grey stone, echoing between the outer walls and the clusters of single storey dwellings, blacksmiths and stables lining the route to the top.

“Your visit is timely Legolas” Boyden advised.

“How so, captain?”

“King Éomer has received reports from the Riders of the Mark near the Anduin regarding orc activity. When I consulted with him and the other captains yesterday eve, he was readying a missive to your father King Thranduil, and also the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood.”

“Do you know the details?”

“Some, but not all. The king is anxious to speak with you personally.”

Orc movements of enough concern to warn Mirkwood and Lothlórien did not bode well for what was taking place close to his home. Gandalf grunted at Boyden’s news, and sparked a flint over the polished, tawny, briar wood bowl of his pipe to light it. The smell always brought back memories of the fellowship- of the hobbits, of reuniting with Merry and Pippin at the tower of Orthanc, of evenings spent with Aragorn as they traversed the Rovanion, and even the auspicious return of Mithrandir after his defeat of the Balrog in the abyss. Now a new darkness in Middle Earth called for old allies to unite as they had before, and although he had confidence that they would succeed, Legolas wondered at what cost. Every war had its price; Hyatt’s family had been one of the first, he thought sadly.

“Your family are well, Boyden?” Legolas asked, bringing his attention back to the present.

“Very well, thank you.” There was a glint in the captain’s eye. “My wife is expecting our second in a few months. You should join me for a drink to celebrate, if you have time after your meeting of course.”

“Gladly captain, I look forward to it.”

Brilliant yellow rays burst through the clouds to illuminate the stately straw thatched roof as their destination came into view ahead. It was as dazzling as the peak of any precious dragon hoard, and Kaida gasped in awe at the grandeur. The ornately carved wooden doors stood open in welcome, the interior enticing them with shelter from the rising humidity.

“It’s beautiful.”

“The Meduseld, my lady” Boyden told her with pride. “One day it will shine even brighter than it does now- the king wishes to extend the Golden Hall into a grand palace for the royal line of Eorl.”

“A crowning jewel indeed” Kaida said.

“Well, a king requires such extravagance on occasion” Éomer called genially as he sauntered out through the entrance to the hall, his broad shoulders draped with a regal vermillion cloak over finely crafted armour bearing the sigil of Rohan’s prancing white stallion. His resemblance to the late King Théoden, with the same confident stance and astute blue gaze, was striking.

“My lord.” Boyden bowed his head to the king, and with his errand complete, the captain bid them farewell, donning his helmet as he guided his chestnut steed back down into the city.

Shadowfax and Arod were placed under care of Éomer’s personal stable hand, in stalls tucked against the north-eastern end of the building, and they were beckoned inside. Dispensing with tradition Éomer did not to seat himself upon his throne, but instead joined them at one of the long tables that stretched the length of the otherwise deserted chamber. Legolas took the space between Gandalf and Kaida on the bench. Impulsively he reached over to squeeze her hand and she gave him a grateful smile.

“Captain Boyden no doubt mentioned to you that I am sending a message of warning to Mirkwood.”

“And the Lothlórien also” Legolas added.

“Correct. We have encountered several small groups of orcs recently- more than usual. They have been crossing the borders near the Anduin and the Field of Celebrant, so I sent riders to track their source to-”

“Dol Guldur” Gandalf finished darkly.

Éomer schooled his face well, with only a minute tic of his eyebrow betraying his surprise at their knowledge.

“One orc pack managed to make it through the Riddermark to the west of Gondor, just south of the Isen River” said Legolas.

“Orcs made it that far through these lands?”

“Scouts” Legolas explained. “Their motives revealed to us of another necromancer taking refuge at Amon Lanc.”

“He has taken their minds, like a swarm of bees- a hive” Kaida corroborated.

Éomer’s poised demeanour wavered.

“I will mobilise more riders and increase patrol sectors. With so many, I cannot allow them to gain a hold here too...”

Gandalf’s low voice breached the question that Legolas needed, but did not want, the answer to: “Éomer, how many orcs are estimated to be at Dol Guldur?”

The king’s answer pierced his heart like an arrow.

“At least a thousand, but my captains report more every day.”


	6. Chapter 6

Messengers were dispatched to Lórien, Mirkwood and Gondor, and Éomer graciously provided rooms in the guest wing of the Meduseld for the three of them to make use of while they waited. It would take days to receive replies from all realms, and there were still many details to be discussed and co-ordinated. They had sent an official request to Minas Tirith for Gondor troops to rendezvous with Riders of the Mark and establish a forward garrison at the Field of Celebrant. There they would be reinforced by the elves from Lothlórien if Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel would agree to aid their cause. With the bulk of the army launching an offensive from the west, it would draw attention away from the Silvan elves approaching from the north. It was a sound plan in principle, but weeks away from completion; orcs would continue to gather under Mareck’s command from Mordor in the meantime.

“Even bound to him with this blood pact, magic, how can he potentially control a legion?” Éomer had asked Kaida after a brief account of her, and her brother’s, involvement.

Legolas had found himself mulling over the same thing; without an extensive understanding of magic, let alone magic from another world, the concept of willing thousands of minds at once was impossible to imagine.

“He is bound to as many as needed” Gandalf supplied brusquely.

“Consider it like this: does one captain head your entire army?” Kaida queried.

“Each captain fronts a company of a few hundred, with sixteen companies per marshall. There are three marshalls acting under the king’s command, but one always remains as a defensive force during times of war” Éomer clarified.

It was probably more information than Kaida wanted, but Legolas noted that she took it in her stride.

“So, during battle instead of relaying orders to what...” her nose scrunched endearingly as she mentally summarized the total, “six thousand soldiers, well nearly six and a half... -?”

“There are thirty two men directing them” Éomer said with sudden lucidity.

“Precisely.”

“That is a sobering thought, and quite horrifying.”

“You haven’t even met Hafir yet” Kaida said giving Éomer an impish smile.

They retired to their rooms before dinner, and Legolas stretched out on the goose feather mattress with a contented groan. Elves did not have the need to sustain themselves with sleep every night, but that did not mean that he could not appreciate the luxury. Besides, he would do well to get some decent rest given the circumstance- they were about to become extremely busy.

Legolas spent his mornings with Kaida training, and they had soon started pulling quite a crowd of spectators. Hafir was agile and powerful; Legolas had a tough time just avoiding his huge maw or being thrown off-balance with knocks and leaps. The spirit had keen senses and instinct, and Legolas had started to relax at the thought of Kaida on the battlefield with Hafir at the fore fighting. He still didn’t fully grasp the notion of their unique merger, but it bothered him less the more they were exposed to each other. The wolf was well behaved during their sparring matches and Kaida had told him that Hafir enjoyed the challenge as much as Legolas did.

Gandalf had departed for Rivendell on the third night. Elrond was protected by both the waters of the Bruinem and by the mountains, but Gandalf was sure that regardless of not being in immediate danger he would also assist them. If Elrond could be persuaded to send elves across the High Pass into Mirkwood, they could bolster the Silvan army King Thranduil would be leading to Dol Guldur. They were still working on assumption, as no correspondence had been returned, but Gandalf assured them that all was well with their plans. There was no reason to think he would mislead or give false hope; the Ithryn always remained staunch and committed to those who needed him- even in death. Gandalf vowed to return on the morning of battle, and neither he nor Éomer had questioned his word.

Legolas jolted from bed, roused by an urgent rapping against his door. He opened it to find Kaida standing with a fist still raised to knock, her face ashen and amber eyes wild with alarm.

“I told you that Mareck is my twin, and that we can sense each other sometimes? That it was how he knew I’d arrived here, and where to send the first group of orcs that he took control of?” she babbled at him.

Legolas nodded, his nerves prickling with dread at seeing her so flustered.

“We learnt over the years to block most of this perception, but occasionally it seeps through. I’m sorry, I’m not making a lot of sense am I? Wait, please...” She grimaced and shut her eyes in concentration. “Legolas, Mareck has someone that knows you, that knows us. The same name keeps coming to me, as if he’s sending it purposefully to taunt me- he has Boyden.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but we have to talk to Éomer. I hope for his sake that I’m just losing my sanity. When was the last time you saw the captain?”

“I met him for a few drinks the night of our arrival.”

“But not since?”

Legolas shook his head and a thick lump began to form in his throat. They hurried to the main hall and found the king ensconced upon his sturdy oak throne in hushed conversation with another captain who Legolas recognised as Orvin. Éomer glanced at them both with disquiet and waved them over, uttering something to Orvin to excuse their interruption.

“Is all well?” he asked, worry lines creasing on his forehead.

“My lord, excuse our intrusion but-” Legolas began.

“Captain Boyden, where is he?” Kaida held Éomer’s sharp gaze and ignored Orvin’s cough at her disregard of decorum.

“He has taken his courser to the Limlight, relaying work instructions to one of the smaller border units near Fangorn Forest. They are to start planning out the base camp at the Field of Celebrant prior to sending a larger protective company with labourers.” Éomer saw their panicked exchange. “Why do you ask? Has something happened?”

“Mareck has him.” Kaida turned to Legolas. “We must go there and find out, do you know the way?”

“Yes, but you said yourself that you came to this knowledge because of him...”

“I know it’s a trap, but we can’t just let him take Boyden.”

“And if he has an army of orcs waiting for us?”

“Then we deal with them.”

The blaze in her eyes told him all he needed to know about what she intended in that regard; the hunger of the wolf was plain to see as it started to break free from her imposed constraints. Legolas felt torn between doing what was sensible and what was right, but he wanted to help his friend no matter the peril and realised that Kaida would not be swayed from her course anyway. They would search for Boyden.

“Let me retrieve my weapons from my room. I will meet you at the stables in a few minutes, ensure the horses are ready” he instructed and Kaida obeyed, disappearing at a sprint.

“Orvin, gather your company. You will ride behind to the Limlight outpost as assistance” Éomer told the captain.

“Yes my lord.”

“Thank you King Éomer. Captain” Legolas said and gave them an elven salute with his hand to his heart in respect.

Orvin scurried away to prepare his men as ordered, and Legolas went to gather his bow, quiver, and daggers. He sent a brief plea to the Valar that Orvin’s backup would not be required and that they would find Boyden alive and unharmed; if Mareck did have the captain, then he already knew too much. What if Mareck decided to bind him to his service? Legolas wondered. Is it possible to break such a blood pact without harming the victim? It was not something he cared about before, but this situation was different: this was not an orc, but a man. Boyden was a friend, a seasoned soldier who he trusted on the field of battle, a husband and a father... Legolas clenched his jaw. Boyden’s wife was expecting their second child soon. Legolas could not bear to consider any other outcome than his safe return to his family.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerich veleth nín - You have my love.  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They found Boyden on the plains near the Limlight river, which was littered with the bodies of orcs, riders and horses alike. The small patrol unit’s valiant rebuttal had cut down at least a hundred, but the Rohirrim suffered many casualties in the resultant chaos of a surprise attack by the orcs. Kaida’s brother had released Boyden back into the fold, the information about their strategy and planned troop movements obviously divulged by the captain under the tyrant’s thrall, and the Riders of Mark were unprepared to face one of their own turned against them. His sword dripped with the blood of his comrades, his eyes wild and dark, and a twisted sneer of pleasure contorting his noble features. He was Mareck’s servant, a messenger of the pain and grief to come; Legolas could not prevent his anguished cry at seeing the monster before him.

“Boyden! Captain, please, stop this” he begged.

The dense, sickening concoction of sweat, fear, adrenaline and excrement shrouded the scene as they wove their way through the contorted corpses and the dying. His skin crawled as he notched his bow, the reality that he might have to be the one to take his friend’s life raking at him with harsh, icy clarity. Arod deftly led the way to where Boyden stood against the last of the survivors attempting to capture their kinsman enraged with an unnatural, inhuman strength. Legolas dimly acknowledged the scraping of metal and thud of hooves behind him as Orvin readied his retaliation against the captain. His own shot was aimed, all he had to do was release.

“Wait! Orvin, Legolas...” Kaida shouted as she urged her borrowed mount in front of them, trying to block their path and slow them down.

Her shimmering golden gaze met his, willing him to understand in the short seconds they had. The ring and clash of swords, grunts and clanging of impact was almost deafening as they closed the distance. There was no time to think, to delay. Whatever was to be done had to be done now. He lowered his bow and called for Orvin to halt the lines of cavalry about to crash past them, his heart hammering painfully in his chest at the decision made. The men obeyed their captain’s abrupt instruction, stopping to form up into precise groups behind and either side of them. Arod stamped and snorted, his nostrils flaring wide at the miasma surrounding them and his flanks quivering in staunch preparation to launch into the fray with a simple nudge.

“Legolas?”

He shook his head at the captain and let out a breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding as Kaida leapt from the saddle. Hafir took her place, and several of the nearest riders struggled to keep their horses from rearing at the sudden appearance of the massive beast. The wolf bounded forwards and Legolas could see his muscles tense and his tail cocked for balance. Boyden did not react to block the leap fast enough, only catching the edge of his shield under Hafir’s jaw with a weak blow that made the wolf let out a huff in agitation. Disarmed and pinned to the ground, Boyden was subdued and the remaining riders spared. An uneasy hush descended across the plains, broken by Hafir’s throaty grunt of a bark that Legolas recognised from their training as a safe signal to approach.

Orvin let out a heavy sigh beside him. “I did not want to kill Boyden, but I could see no other way” he said.

Orvin was privy to Kaida’s ability, so was not unnerved at her transformation like his men.

“Neither did I, Captain Orvin” Legolas replied as he put away his bow and dismounted. “His mind is not his own. Though we may have saved him from death, he cannot be saved from the guilt of his deeds under control of another.”

His soul lamented at that thought. He had nurtured the fragile seed of hope in finding and freeing Boyden, now he could only wonder if ending his life would have been the kinder act of mercy. But he had hesitated and Kaida, and Hafir, had seen it fit to save his friend for whatever future he would now face.

Boyden was bound with the length of hithlain rope that Legolas always carried in his saddlebags. The captain had become vacant and unresponsive once restrained, his eyes dull and his posture slouched. He had retreated inside of himself, but none of them could tell what nightmares he was reliving in his state of mental isolation. Kaida gave up her horse and Boyden was slung unceremoniously over its back. Orvin took up the reins with his own to lead them for the return to Edoras. Instructing half of his company to stay and help make arrangements for the dead and wounded, the rest departed with what was left of his friend in tow. The orcs were long gone, perhaps halfway to Dol Guldur by now, so Orvin was content enough to leave them to follow.

“I’m so sorry, Legolas” Kaida said as they watched them go. “There is only way to release Boyden and I do not know what effect it will have on him after... after this.”

She bit her lip and stared off towards the silhouette marking the borders of Lothlórien on the skyline, a heavy burden of self-imposed responsibility weighing upon her conscience for her brother’s misdeeds.

“It is not your fault, the evils that Mareck brings down upon us are not your doing” he said.

“If he couldn’t sense me here he would not have come to try and find out what we were plotting. The captain would not have been a target, these men would not have died-”

“Kaida, this is the prelude to war. The blame for what happened here rests with Mareck- not with you, and not with Boyden.”

“I should have known...” Her voice trembled, “You must hate me.”

Legolas pulled Kaida into a tender embrace, unsure how else to comfort her, and felt the wracking sobs she had been holding back overwhelm her. He stroked her hair, silken to the touch, and whispered his assurances to her.

“I could never hate you, Kaida. Your gentleness and moral determination shines through, brighter than any star, and we will banish the scourge from these lands once more.”

Legolas moved to cup her tear-streaked cheeks in his hands and leant down, feeling as uncertain and awkward as a young ellon again. Their lips brushed tentatively, and worried that he was overstepping a boundary too soon, he paused. He heard her exhale with a gasp, a light breath tickling and warm against his face, but she made no move to pull away. He traced his tongue across her lips and when she allowed him to deepen the kiss, he felt a surge of adrenaline that made him feel giddy. The world around them was forgotten. They were just Kaida and Legolas, two people inexplicably drawn together for a chance of redemption, and for a future of peace and happiness.

 _“Gerich veleth nín”_   he said when they broke apart, and it was the first time in nearly two millennia that he had be captivated enough by a woman to mean those words.

Kaida traced the angular line of his jaw with her fingertips and looked up at him curiously.

“You will have to teach me what that means.”

“I will” he promised and returned her coquettish smile.

Arod’s steady three beat gait lulled Kaida to sleep nestled in Legolas’ arms. He was happy for the tranquil reprieve after what they faced on the plains, when they arrived back in Edoras they would be thrown back into military meetings. The reciprocation of his affection had boosted his tenacity of the action required of them to survive the looming conflict. They needed to alter their strategy, divide their armies not just at the Field of Celebrant as expected but perhaps by sending riders east to circle back through the desolate Brown Lands. If Lothlórien co-ordinated a charge from the west, they stood a chance of taking the orcs from all four sides. It was a risk to split into smaller groups, but Legolas was sure it would work better than facing the horde head-on. He had faith in the stout courage and the honed skills of the soldiers of both men and elves to succeed.

The main issue of concern was Mareck. Like the Skin-changer Beorn, he could take the form of a vicious, great bear. It would take more than a few arrows to stop him, and Kaida had warned that the blood binding spell would be easier to inflict upon those struck in the heat of battle with their blood flowing freely. Mareck would kill anyone without compunction, using their life energy to heal himself or increase his power; it was an art forbidden by the Simierien, but one that he had come to specialise in. They could, therefore, not afford a prolonged confrontation. The only one he could not harm was Kaida, as she could not hurt him as herself. However, getting her close enough for Hafir to either take on the bear or her brother directly would not be easy. They would need an escort group, willing to face the biggest threat of all. Legolas hoped Gandalf would return in time to help with the task. She had to be protected, more so now that he could not stand the thought of losing her.


	8. Chapter 8

"One thing is bothering me, more than everything else” Legolas said.

He passed Kaida the bread and plate of cheese that constituted their late breakfast after training and scanned the empty hall. He had not seen Éomer this morning, though given their lengthy schedule of talks yesterday after Boyden’s delivery back to Edoras, he could not hold it against the king to want some time alone.

“Oh?”

“Actually, two things” he amended.

She scoffed at him playfully through her mouthful and waved at him to continue while she picked at her food.

“Your brother was fronting a force to locate you, but after setting a trap by enticing you with the knowledge about Boyden, he quickly aborted any attempt to seize or...” Legolas did not want to voice the ultimate danger plaguing his thoughts, but Kaida did it for him.

“Or have me killed.”

He gave a curt nod, rose from the table and set about pacing the short length in slow, long strides.

“So, first, why send a warning at all? Walking away from a hunt when your prey is almost upon you makes no sense. And second, what information could he have gleaned from Boyden to make him change his game plan so drastically? I just cannot piece this together.”

Legolas sighed and fiddled with the hilts of his daggers. Delicate twisting vines engraved upon the mithril brought to the fore memories of Greenwood before the slow decay and Sauron’s shadow seeping across Arda. He had not noticed Kaida join his side and almost jumped as her small hand came to rest on his arm with a feather light touch to stop him in his tracks.

“There are several layers to this, I agree. With me, I think Mareck will bide his time. Consider this: he now knows in certainty that I am not here alone, and that an a large-scale operation is being set in motion against him. For now, I think myself and Hafir are the least of his problems.”

“I hope you are right in your assumption.”

“This war may come sooner than we expect, and we may not be able to prepare for all eventualities, but we will win this” she said with conviction.

His hands gripped at her hips and pulled her closer. Their kiss was long and sensual, and it took every ounce of his restraint to not sweep the plates and cutlery off of the table to take her in the Meduseld before the king’s throne. He had avowed to wait until Kaida’s brother was neutralised and the orcs sent scurrying back to their dank warrens within Mordor, but the heat and longing she invoked in him was distracting. She was a sea that drowned him in roaring torrents, crashing against his age-tempered barriers of emotional insulation and lapping at him with rolling breakers of sincerity, empathy, reliance and yearning. Legolas knew the real meaning of Lady Galadriel’s warning about the song of the sea, and let out a breathy chuckle at the symbolism he had assigned to Kaida nonetheless.

“I’m sorry, I’m being selfish. Legolas-” she began wistfully as Orvin burst into the hall calling their names.

“There you both are! The king requests your presence in the city square.”

The moment between them was gone and Legolas could not ponder on what Kaida was going to confess.

“Is something amiss Orvin?” he questioned as they followed him outside.

The captain looked positively brimming to the point of bursting.

“Nothing is wrong, but I can say nothing on the matter or Éomer may demote me.”

They soon saw what caused such an excited fuss amongst the Rohirrim they passed on the way down to the base of the hillside. Beneath them stretched a vast procession of warriors filing out to the bordering Rohan plains of Edoras to make camp, carrying aloft banners emblazoned with the white tree. One proud figure stood next to Éomer watching their descent; a dark haired man with Andúril strapped to his waist and a wide grin waiting to greet his friend. Aragorn had not changed in the last year or so since Legolas had last seen him.

“Legolas ...?”

“The men of Gondor have arrived to join us” he told Kaida and took her hand.

Everything suddenly felt so real: the impending war, the risk he and his friends would be taking on the battlefield, and Kaida beside him- a woman, or elleth, who enchanted him in a way that no other ellith had ever done. She had stepped through a doorway from another world to save his, even knowing that it led to the death of her brother to do it. The gratitude he felt for her and for the men of Rohan and Gondor was immense. Stopping Mareck and destroying Dol Guldur for good was paramount for all the races of Arda, but ultimately to start out with it affected his home and his father due to the close proximity of the fortress to the elven stronghold secreted away in northern Mirkwood. The blow to be struck was a personal one, especially after what had happened to Boyden also.

“Are you alright?” Kaida whispered.

Legolas loosened his grip and nodded.

“I was just reflecting on what is to come and what is at stake.”

She nodded in understanding and Hafir’s energy trembled beneath the surface in response to her own anticipation.

“I predict a long day ahead” she said, letting go of his hand to cross her arms uncertainly over her chest.

Orvin, having briefly consulted with Éomer, scurried away through the murmuring crowds and left them to their meeting. Preparations would need to stepped up, and since taking on the added responsibility for Boyden’s company until his return and reinstatement in the ranks, the captain kept himself busy by overseeing most tasks personally instead of delegating to his peers. It was his way of not dwelling on what had transpired; Orvin had confided in him that he was appalled and shocked that the blood binding could take any of them in such a way. Legolas had agreed wholeheartedly, he did not wish to see another cast down by a similar cruel fate before this battle was done.

“You could have sent a messenger Elessar Telcontar” Legolas teased as he walked over to the kings and pulled Aragorn into a relieved bear hug.

“Since when have I not been a man of action Legolas Thranduilion? Besides, it would not have done for the men of Gondor to arrive late and we had many leagues to travel- we left as soon as I read Éomer’s summons. I will admit that not all in the missive made sense, especially the part about blood magic and a giant wolf... ?”

“The past week or so has been full of many incomprehensible actions” Legolas offered.

“And miracles, it would seem” added Éomer.

Both Legolas and Aragorn turned to give him their attention.

“Your father” Éomer tipped his head to him, “Lord Elrond and Gandalf, and also the Lady Galadriel have all sent letters that arrived within a few hours of each other this morn. They have all also agreed to join with us.”

Legolas’ spirit soared. He beckoned Kaida over to relay the fortuitous news to her that she had missed by hanging back shyly at the entrance to the city square. Aragorn’s eyebrow twitched when Legolas took her hand, but graciously made no comment during their introductions about his open display of affection. Dinner would present an opportunity for personal chatter; right now he was eager to see the correspondence Éomer had received, especially the one from his father. Legolas beamed at Kaida and she returned an elated smile of her own that he was certain he would remember for millennia to come.


	9. Chapter 9

Legolas reclined on a small secluded hilltop to the northwest of Edoras, halfway to Helm’s Deep, and lost himself to the simple pleasure of the warmth of the sun on his skin and the tickle against his arms of the grass dancing in the gentle breeze. The long days of tension were nearly over, he thought. Whether for better or ill, the morning after tomorrow Men and Elves would unite and march to war. Shadowfax bore Gandalf back to them even as he lay enjoying his moment of peace, and with the three bearers of the uncorrupted rings of power fighting side-by-side, Legolas was confident they would dominate the battlefield and end the conflict before it truly began; before Mareck had a chance to use whatever dark arts were at his disposal.

There was, however, a feeling of loss that settled heavily in the pit of his stomach and Legolas could not pinpoint the cause. He was missing something fundamental, and it was with a rising panic that he scrabbled to grasp at the source. Battle had never upset his internal balance like this before, even when the odds appeared insurmountably stacked against them. Such a distraction could be costly, so with Kaida and Hafir throwing themselves into further training with Aragorn and Éomer, Legolas had opted to use the afternoon for contemplation and meditation. He would lock away any fears until after the fight if necessary- he needed to be clear-headed and focused for not only his own, but his friends’ sake. And hers.

Inevitably his chain of thought drew him back to Kaida. She was also concerned about the future, although she would not talk to him about it. Legolas sighed and closed his eyes, picturing her supple form and the softness of her skin beneath his touch. She had come to his world from another, opening a doorway designed to operate only for her people- from a bloodline originally from Arda as far as he could reason. The bridge between Elirdan and Middle Earth had collapsed with her arrival, perhaps because there were no other Simierien on the other side for the spell to hold it open for, but did that mean there could be another doorway hidden here that would take her back home? If there was, would she really want to stay, or return? With each passing day Legolas’ love and admiration grew, and though Kaida had made it clear that she felt the same about him, it was also the main reason he held back. It would not be fair to influence Kaida’s decision about her options once Mareck was defeated, and consummating their relationship would enforce a commitment upon both of them that could not be broken.

She had assured him that her brother was long gone, afflicted by the madness and hunger that could never be sated. But Legolas would not have her, or Hafir, left in the situation to make that final, difficult decision if he could help it. What if, by having to end her brother’s life, she came to resent saving them- him? But would it be worse if he did it himself instead? He shook his head at the notion; Kaida was not like that, she knew what had to be done and had already made peace with that burden. Yet it was an irrational worry that gave him pause. To be without her... his soul could not bear the possibility.

Legolas thought of his father, who had written in his letter that nothing would make his heart soar in pride more than to stride into darkness with his son at his side, seizing victory from the hands of their enemy and returning Mirkwood to the glory of Greenwood as it should be. It was the touching sentiment of affection that Legolas had not seen from Thranduil in many years; as close to an offer of peace and reconciliation that Legolas could hope for after opting to walk his own path, for his own moral beliefs. Would his father be happy for him and accept Kaida, as those he was privileged to call friend did? Another unanswerable question until the new dawn awakening Arda.

But all of this was not the main issue gnawing at him, and none of this reflection was actually helping him understand why his emotions were so torn. Concentrating on his breathing, Legolas worked to relax each muscle individually and felt the shift into a state of serenity. Freed from the concerns of matters he held no influence over, Legolas dropped into a light sleep with the tramping of hoof-beats and soldiers shouting and laughing in the distance. He put his faith in the Valar to hold vigil over them all in their hour of honour and virtue; he was helpless to do much else.

It was evening when he returned to the Meduseld. The hall was full to capacity with officers and captains crammed onto the benches feasting, drinking, regaling each other with raucous tales, and keeping themselves in high spirits after arduous days of drilling the sheer number of troops now stationed at The Wold. Legolas had no urge to join them tonight and shook his head at Aragorn in denial of his silent invitation. His friend gave a knowing smile and tipped his head towards the private rooms, before turning to Éomer next to him at the main banqueting table and engaging him in conversation once again. Kaida would be waiting for him and he needed to see her.

Stepping into his chamber with the intention of changing and removing his weapons before finding his heart, Legolas was surprised but not displeased to see her sitting on his bed. The smile she gave him was mischievous and his eye was drawn to her shapely, toned legs, bare beneath the mid-length blue tunic she wore.

“Have I kept you long meleth nín?” he asked, a familiar heat rising in his core.

“Not at all.”

Getting up she walked over to him slowly, her hips swinging with seductive purpose and her ashen hair glowing with a mellow honeyed sheen in the lantern light. Legolas moaned and pulled her the last few steps roughly and impatiently by the arm, crashing his lips to hers. She was so beautiful, and his alone.

“Do you know what you do to me?” he whispered in her ear and smiled in satisfaction at her gentle shudder.

“Legolas...”

Lost in golden depths he plummeted, so close to the temptation of showing her exactly what he meant. Her hand guided his to her waist and then up to her pert breast beneath the thin material and it was her turn to moan as he caressed her.

“Please” she murmured, “I need you, tonight.”

Kaida pressed against him and brushed his hair aside to trail kisses down his neck, the tunic hitched by his hand showing that she was naked beneath. He found it increasingly difficult to organise all the arguments against this moment coherently in his mind.

“I want to, but it wouldn’t be right. We agreed to wait until-”

She teased a hand over his erection, the friction of his trousers against his throbbing hardness pleasurably intense- but it suddenly wasn’t enough. He wanted it to be her mouth, and then deep inside her as she called his name over and over like a prayer. To taste her sweetness, to make her come undone and take her to the height of pleasure... He would give his life to protect her on the battlefield if necessary, and part of him wondered if that was what had changed her mind. Every fight could be his last, he knew that.

“Just one night, please Legolas. I know it’s selfish of me, but I just want to know, to feel...”

There was that word again, she had said it before, he realised. There was a tinge of guilt in her voice, and a desperation in her eyes that confused him. His will finally shattered, and though she wouldn’t understand until later that he was the selfish one, he turned to shut the door behind him and then pushed her towards the bed.


	10. Chapter 10

Legolas heard a bell tolling, accompanied by the hurried stomping of armoured boots. There was a knock on the bedroom door and Kaida stirred, still cradled in his arms. She nuzzled into his neck sleepily.

“Is it morning already?” she murmured.

“No, it is still just before dawn, but I fear something is wrong.”

“Legolas, you must come now! Kings Éomer and Aragorn await you in the hall with Gandalf- there is no time to waste! The Golden Wood is ablaze!” Orvin cried as he burst through without a second thought to privacy. “Good, you’re here too, I apologise my lady but-”

“Captain, it is alright. We will join you with utmost haste” Legolas promised. He surprised himself by how calm he sounded in the face of such devastating news.

Orvin nodded and disappeared back into the hallway.

Kaida let out a gasp, her eyes wide. “That’s why he changed his mind, what he learnt from Boyden- of you, and our proposed alliance with the elves. Mareck means to weaken us by dividing our attention, and he has made sure that we cannot ignore doing so by sending a bulk of his own force to destroy their home.”

She was right, of course, but knowing the flow of the tide of battle did little to assuage his apprehension. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn could not fend off thousands of orcs rampaging through the sanctuary of the Golden Wood alone. But, to split their troops meant half the expected number to breach Dol Guldur. Legolas could see no other choice, Mareck had played well.

“It needs to be done and so it will” he voiced aloud.

Kaida blinked up at him in confusion and Legolas kissed her forehead.

“It is nothing. Come,  _meleth nín_ , we must dress and assemble with the others.”

Legolas spotted Kaida conversing with Gandalf as he rushed into the hall a short time later. Securing the last of the buckles on his belt he mentally checked off that he had everything he needed. He noted that their topic of discussion had caused an air of sombre tension between them, and the Istar bowed his head to Kaida with a sad smile curled upon his thin lips. Everyone was concerned, Legolas reflected. Even with Hafir’s help, Kaida was likely most worried of all with the prospect of facing her own brother.

“Legolas!” Aragorn’s voice boomed across the room.

The King was still fastening his own sword belt around his waist as he approached, but a cursory glance around the room confirmed to Legolas that everyone was ready to move out.

“How should we proceed, my friend?”

They were all placing their trust in him, and he could be just as well sending them to their deaths as to glory. No, Legolas thought with determination, they will not fall. He would not fail her, and he would not fail his friends.

“Éomer, you will send your riders with us. Horses will be of lesser use amongst the trees and we have the furthest distance to travel. Aragorn, you and your men will march to the Golden Wood and assist in quashing the orcs there. Once done, if you have the strength to, perhaps you could join us later?”

Aragorn nodded, “Of course.”

“Gandalf and I will ride with Orvin’s company to guard Kaida. We will be the first into the fortress to face Mareck. If my father and Lord Elrond arrive promptly after our infiltration, the elves will join the Rohirrim to prevent any orcs escaping. Blockade the narrow pathways and hold fast.”

The blond king smiled, eagerness rather than worry writ upon his brow, and he stood at Aragorn’s side.

“An honour,” Éomer said to him with a hand tapping his chest in salute, “we will do you proud.”

“Take no unnecessary risks. Although we have some idea of what we could be facing, this type of magic is still an unknown and extremely dangerous.”

Kaida nodded fervently in agreement, “My brother is not of sound mind. He will not be swayed by morals or sympathy- he will not think twice to turn you against each other if possible. Stay back as much as you can... it is bad enough that I have to ask some of you to come with me to face him.”

“We would have it no other way, my lady” Gandalf said with affection, and offered her his arm.

They spearheaded the cavalry troops with the Gondorian foot soldiers marching hard close behind. Veering to cross over the hastily constructed bridge of lashed logs and planks, Aragorn broke away to take his men northwest. Legolas crinkled his nose at the acrid smell of smoke as he watched them go and nudged Arod on; catching up to Kaida and Gandalf filing across the waters with Orvin’s company.

“The Lord and Lady are still safe” Gandalf said in his usual enigmatic manner and a sideways glance.

“Then we must ensure it stays that way.”

In the greying light of the rising sun Legolas focused ahead to the borders of south Mirkwood. Their path was laid out before them with no recourse for deviation. Waving a signal to Éomer, he left the Golden Wood behind them with a heavy heart and Aragorn’s fate in the hands of the Valar.

“No welcoming party that I can see” Orvin noted.

“There is no need, the legion knows that we will come.”

“True.” His face set grimly before he addressed him again. “I will protect Kaida with my life Legolas, you have my word.”

“Thank you, Captain. If I prevail then it will not come to that for any of us.”

“Hah! Well you are a fast shot that’s for certain, but we will all do what we have to when it is necessary.”

The treeline loomed ahead across The Brown Lands. Legolas looked over at Kaida, feeling her nervousness and upset through their developing bond. She was not aware of what their night of passion meant; he should have told her before giving in to his carnal desires. But she had wanted it too, and she loved him- if he had let her know, would she have asked him to stop? Legolas did not think so, and there was no opportunity to broach the subject with her now. He let out a sigh and steeled himself, not wanting his own unease to unsettle her further.

The fortress was an intimidating structure, even as the grey stone crumbled after centuries of neglect. Foreboding, dismal, the epitome of despair and cruelty. Legolas correctly surmised that they would meet no resistance on reaching the entrance, and beneath the diseased canopy it was unnaturally hushed and still. There would be little point in luring them into a trap so well thought out, only to snap the jaws shut before they were inside. No, the orcs would be waiting, hiding in the towers and adjoining passages ready to surround them once they crossed the bridge.

Éomer arranged the companies into a tight column formation and had them dismount to act as ground troops during the assault. A few cavalry units were to remain outside as routing groups or to offer assistance in breaking through lines of enemies if and when required. The rest of the horses were turned free, and Legolas knew that they would return to roam the plains of The Brown Lands until re-summoned by their masters. Arod would remain here to carry him back to Edoras, whether it be alive or dead, once this was done.

“I’m ready” Kaida said at his side.

Legolas pulled her to him, not caring who saw their kiss, and in the brief, stolen moment of happiness he was also flooded by an overwhelming sense of loss and remorse.

“Kaida?”

She shook her head, “I love you, Legolas. Please, never forget that” she said, and as Hafir took control he thought he caught a sad murmuring of an apology. The wolf trotted to Gandalf’s side, without looking back, and he had no choice but to follow with a rising dread.


	11. Chapter 11

He had soon run out of arrows, and resorted to his blades for the remainder of the fight. Their group had been besieged upon reaching the inner courtyard, the men of Rohirrim valiantly hacking through the waves of orc funnelling towards them from each side. Legolas saw Mareck before he changed, a hauntingly identical figure to Kaida- his love. The great bear form he shifted to towered easily double Legolas’ height, and the more orc they cut down the more energy it siphoned and the more enraged it became. Seeing Éomer’s troops had no chance against such a savage beast, especially on an enclosed battlefield with limited manoeuvrability, Legolas became distraught. Surely nothing could stop him, not even Kaida or Hafir.

They tried to punch through the lines regardless, Hafir bowling through the orcs with Gandalf’s staunch assistance, Glamdring keeping them at bay as they advanced. Legolas chased after the pair, desperate to keep them in his sights but hindered by the army pouring out to meet them. With each orc he cut down, another quickly took its place. There was no time to think, much less formulate a new plan. So far at least her brother had not resorted to turning the magic against them as he had with Boyden. Their minds were still their own- a small comfort for the bleak end they faced. He could do nothing but watch with remorse as Orvin took a blow meant to stop Hafir, his body slumping to the ground and disappearing under a swarm of trampling feet. He sent a silent prayer to the Valar, begging them to have mercy. To urge his father and Lord Elrond to provide reinforcement, now, before they were all massacred in this dismal place.

“The captains! Try and focus on the captains!” he heard Éomer shouting desperately.

It was a vain hope, to break the hold on some of the orcs and whittle down their numbers in the resultant disorganisation. However, the likelihood of the orcs fleeing while the odds were easily in their favour was not good. Legolas let out a growl of frustration, propelling himself forward with renewed vigour. It could not end like this, she could not die. He had to get Kaida out, even if it was the last thing he did. The blast of Éomer’s horn resounded between the walls, calling the cavalry units to charge and crush the line heaving at their backs. Around him were anguished cries as many soldiers’ final breaths were shocked free from their lips by the rough, barbed weapons wielded by their enemy. But above the brutality of it all Legolas heard her voice, and their connection returned with sickening clarity.

“You can’t hurt me, brother” Kaida scolded.

Her voice was calm, even as Mareck had her gripped tightly in his claws and hoisted up to his face as if she were nothing but a doll. Legolas felt the panic she masked, and could even sense the fury of the wolf that she struggled to push aside whilst staring down the beast. Her brother. With an inhuman roar Mareck flung Kaida heavily to his feet, flinching as she hit the ground as if struck by the impact as well.

“Kaida!”

She was hurting, but she was alive. Legolas pulled his blade free from the gut of the orc in front of him, sidestepping a blow from the left and slicing down another two with a counter forwards and back. He saw glimpses of her ashen hair through the throng, the flash of Gandalf’s magic pushing aside the orc circled around him, and he was finally through. Standing back-to-back with the Istar they synchronised their efforts without the need for words, working their way towards where Mareck stood over Kaida. Her brother had changed back to his normal form, his aura swirling with a power that made Legolas recoil. It was stronger than hers, pulsating with a sickly warmth that reminded him of... of blood.

“Get up, Kaida. Please” Legolas called.

Gandalf sent a blast of magic towards Mareck, but it had no effect other than to make the man bristle with irritation.

“He has changed back to bind her, and if she refuses the orcs will kill her” Gandalf warned.

Legolas saw Kaida roll over and rise to her hands and knees on the floor. Her posture became tense, poised, and she looked up in horror at her twin reaching out with his hand readying his spell. Taking aim, Legolas let one of his long daggers fly towards his target. It sunk through Mareck’s chest with a dull thud and Mareck’s hand wavered. The air grew heavy with the weaving of dark magic, the blade wrenched free, and her brother’s focus switched to healing himself. The wound knitted together and sealed as if it had never been inflicted, but the distraction was enough. Kaida let Hafir take control once more, springing up to snap her brother’s neck between the wolf’s vicious canines. There was a piercing scream from both brother and sister, a blinding light and a rush of air that knocked them all back a few steps.

“And so it is done” Gandalf said quietly. “Their ties are such that as one ends, so does the other.”

Legolas stood stunned by the wizard’s sorrowful words, and his numbness shattered in an explosion of grim understanding. His connection to Kaida was severed, her body lying twisted and unmoving. She would be forever devoid of any life, laughter or kindness. The battlefield blurred around him and all time narrowed to a point with no real meaning as Legolas stood vigil over his heart. He did not register the arrival of his father’s forces. Nor his friends making it to his side one-by-one, driving back the orcs with their binds now broken.

****

United, the forces of Men and Elves razed Dol Goldur so that it would no longer pose a threat. The Golden Wood would heal under Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn’s guidance, as would Mirkwood with his father’s stubborn refusal to ever see defeat. It would likely take years, but without Kaida it was an opportunity they would not have otherwise been afforded.

With Mareck’s death, Boyden recovered his mind and eventually re-took his post as a Captain of Rohan. It was with the love of his wife, and the support of his comrades, that the nightmares of what he had done dissipated enough for him to have the resolve to face a future of atonement. Boyden was in time to see the birth of his second child, a girl, and he asked Legolas hesitantly if they would be permitted to give her Kaida’s name in honour and memory. Legolas had been touched more than he was prepared to admit to his friend, the grief of her passing still raw, but had agreed with a gladness knowing that her name would endure amidst the men she had come to care for. She had not been his alone, as much as he had wanted it to be so, and she had sacrificed herself to save them all- men and elves alike.

Legolas was unsure if his soul could ever truly repair itself after his wife’s death, but he owed it to her to try.


End file.
